An estimated shortage of 22,000 nurses across Texas drove the state House on Wednesday to tentatively approve a measure that would increase the incentives some nursing schools get for hiring more teachers and graduating more nurses.
The issue is on the minds of many lawmakers this session, and in many bills seeking to move forward in the final weeks of the session.
“Nurses are good jobs, and we’re having to import nurses. Yet when you look at the kinds of jobs you want your children and other people’s children to have, this one jumps to the forefront,” said Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, the author of the bill approved Wednesday.
Kolkhorst’s proposal would target some state grants toward hiring nursing faculty at some nursing schools. She is also behind incentives in the state budget to reward nursing schools that have a more than 70 percent graduation rate.
The state estimates that if Texas fails to graduate more nurses as the population grows, demand will outstrip registered nurses by 70,000 in 2020. Kolhorst said her measures aim to catch up to demand by 2013.
Read more in the Valley Morning Star.
Tags: jobs, Nursing, Nursing Jobs